Mark’s aides tear gassed Tambuwal – NASS DPO

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the National Assembly police post, James Ndachaba, has indicted the security aides attached to the Senate President, David Mark, over the teargas canisters thrown at the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, on the November 20, during a security siege on the National Assembly.

This is even as the Senate summoned the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police commissioner, Joseph Mbu, to explain the circumstances leading to the invasion and seizure of the parliament by security operatives under to his command.

Idachaba told the Ahmed Makarfi led Senate ad hoc committee probing the security invasion of the 20th November, that the police officers from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) command were not responsible for the teargas canister thrown at Tambuwal.

However, heads of other security and paramilitary agencies attached to the National Assembly, disagreed with the position of Idachaba, as they stated that they were not aware of any Mark’s security detail throwing teargas at the speaker.

But the police officer argued that he actually saw Mark’s security detail, whose name he did not mention, through a video recording, perpetrating the act.

It will be recalled that Tambuwal and some federal lawmakers were locked out of the complex on that day after a futile attempt to stop Tambuwal, by firing tear gas canisters at him and his colleagues.

The Police had said that it acted on security reports that the National Assembly would be invaded by thugs on the day when lawmakers were to either to ratify or reject President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for the extension of emergency rule in the North east states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

The senate leadership, after an extensive debate on the issue on the floor, set up a committee led by Makarfi, the chairman of its Finance Committee, to probe the circumstances that led to the invasion and report back in two weeks.

However, more than a week behind schedule, Makarfi commenced investigation into the Police invasion on Monday.

Ndachaba, had also told the committee that the instructions to close the gates on that day was based on a directive he received from the Federal Capital Territory Command.

The committee subsequently wound up deliberations for the day and summoned the FCT Police Commissioner, Wilson Inalegu, to appear before it on Tuesday, to explain who gave him the directive to shut down the National Assembly.